Bobcats send Hakim Warrick to Magic for Josh McRoberts

According to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, the Bobcats have agreed to send PF Hakim Warrick to Orlando in exchange for PF Josh McRoberts.

Maybe your reaction was the same as mine when I learned about the deal- ‘Uhhhh, okay?’

After crunching the numbers McRoberts will save Charlotte about $300,000 as his contract expires at the end of the season. Warrick has a team option clause in his contract for next season for $4mil, which almost certainly will not be picked up by Orlando. So, essentially the Bobcats get a different style of PF if nothing else.

The Bobcats traded Matt Carroll and his $4.3mil expiring contract for Hakim Warrick earlier this season. They have now flipped Warrick for McRoberts $3.2mil expiring contract. In all, Cho has weaseled his way into saving $1mil.

QCH Reacts:

Brett: The Bobcats are bringing back Boris Diaw! Well, not quite – but McRoberts is likely to frustrate fans as well, as an over-passing big man who shoots as a last resort. Given his athleticism and size, you’d expect him to be useful on defense – but you’d be disappointed. I would rather McRoberts than Warrick through the end of the season, since Warrick has already shown that he is not what the Bobcats need. And if McBob doesn’t show anything by the end of the season, he was at least cheaper for the duration.

Greg: McRoberts saves the Bobcats a shade under $300,000 for the rest of the year, so the move makes some sense. You can accuse the team of being cheap if you want, but Warrick was racking up DNPs and it’s a lateral move at worst. It’s always possible that McRoberts shows a spark that Warrick didn’t, even if it’s unlikely. If they sell an extra ticket or two to hardcore Duke fans out there, all the better.

Mathew: It’s a minor deal, to be sure. Sometimes making any deal – no matter how inconsequential – is better than nothing at all, especially from a perception standpoint. Assuming the trade doesn’t blatantly make your team worse off (see Sacramento Kings). That’s how I would justify this swap, I suppose. Other than that? Sorry.